Payroll & Senior Accounting Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Title:  Payroll & Senior Accounting Specialist

Reports To:  Finance Manager

Location : Richmond, CA
Division : Central Office
Status : Temporary focus on A/P and potentially payroll
Salary :  $27-$33 per hour

The Payroll & Senior Accounting Specialist manages the day-to-day business office operations,
focusing heavily on accurate bi-weekly payroll administration for over 150+ employees,
transactional accounting, and public-school fund compliance. This role ensures the school
remains in "good standing" with the California Department of Education (CDE) by meticulously
tracking expenditures and maintaining the integrity of the general ledger, and is the primary
bridge between the Business Office and the Instructional Team ensuring all dollars are spent
legally, effectively, and in balance. Additionally, this role serves as the functional bridge
between finance operations and people operations, ensuring that all staff are paid accurately,
transactions are properly coded using California SACS guidelines, and state/federal financial
reports are submitted on time. 

Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform
these essential functions.

Payroll & Benefits Administration
Prepare and process bi-weekly payroll for 150+ employees; thoroughly review and verify
the accuracy of all timesheets.
Accurately track, calculate, and deduct all garnishments and specialized payroll
adjustments (e.g., teacher summer hold-back payments, stipends, longevity bonuses).
Build and maintain efficient internal systems, checklists, and workflows to streamline
regular payroll execution.
Calculate final paychecks and paid time off payouts for separating employees in strict
compliance with California labor timelines.
Manage employee enrollment, tracking, and ongoing contributions into employee
retirement and benefits plans; remit contributions accurately to providers.
Partner closely with the People Operations/HR department to maintain a seamless flow
of employee data; prepare and distribute functional tracking reports (e.g., overtime,
leave balances, headcount, Personnel Action Forms, and sick banks).

General Accounting Support
Perform month-end and year-end closing tasks, including posting journal entries and
processing accruals for both restricted and unrestricted funds.
Prepare and post bi-weekly payroll journals to Sage Intacct.
Clear specific payroll-related balance sheet accounts (including flexible spending
accounts, and life insurance).
Support the accurate coding of vendor invoices and employee reimbursements to
ensure perfect alignment with approved budget allocations.
Assist the finance team by monitoring daily cash positions and supplying data for cash
flow projections.

Fiscal Oversight & SACS Compliance
Monitor restricted revenue and expenditures using the Standardized Account Code
Structure (SACS) to ensure flawless coding (Resource, Goal, and Function).
Collect, verify, and maintain federal "Time and Effort" documentation (Personnel
Activity Reports or Semi-Annual Certifications) for all staff members funded through
restricted grants.
Apply approved indirect cost rates to grants accurately in accordance with CDE
(California Department of Education) guidelines.

Mandatory State & Federal Reporting
Create, reconcile, and remit accurate monthly reports to CalSTRS for teachers’
retirement plans.
Reconcile Federal Quarterly Payroll expenses (Form 941) and timely submit quarterly
941 tax returns to CharterSAFE and 501c.
Compile data for and submit the annual Government California Compensation Report
and gather required documentation for the annual workers’ compensation audit.
Prepare and submit accurate reports for specific funds—including Title I–IV, ELOP,
Proposition 28, and Special Education (IDEA)—and upload data to the CDE’s GMART
portal.
Support the preparation and submission of the Spring and Winter releases of the
ConApp via the CDE’s online portal.

Mission Alignment
Fully committed to the school’s mission of providing high-quality education and working
harmoniously within a fast-paced school environment.
Participate in the school community – attending school competitions, performances,
assemblies, and supporting student events, student clubs, and club advisors.

Work Environment
This job operates in a dynamic, fast-paced office and school environment and routinely
uses standard office equipment and digital platforms.

Physical Demands
The employee will frequently walk across the campus, participate in campus community
presence, and stand or sit for extended periods. Must be able to operate a computer,
phone, and keyboard, with close vision capacity for intensive digital work. Light to
moderate lifting may be required. The employee will participate in campus supervision
duty each week.  

Qualifications
Education and Experience
High School Diploma/GED and 3+ years of hands-on full-cycle payroll processing for an
organization with at least 150+ employees. Solid understanding of CA wage and hour
rules (overtime, final paycheck rules, meal/rest break compliance, etc.).
2+ years of general ledger accounting experience, including preparing journal entries,
processing month-end accruals, and reconciling balance sheet accounts.
Proficiency in mid-to-enterprise level accounting and payroll software (e.g., Sage Intacct,
Rippling, Concur, etc.) and strong Excel skills (VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables).

Skills and Abilities
Analytical "Systems-Thinker" mindset.
Ability to collaborate seamlessly with People Operations/HR and explain complex
payroll, tax, or deduction structures to employees with extreme clarity, patience, and
empathy.
Ability to build, maintain, and rigorously follow internal checklists and workflows to
ensure zero-defect payroll runs.
A natural inclination for meticulous documentation, ensuring a clear paper and digital
trail for all transactions and employee files.
Tech-forward, comfortable learning digital tools, and willing to adopt new technologies.

Licenses or Certificates  
Employment eligibility will include Live Scan fingerprinting, TB screen, and other
employment clearance.

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of
activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties,
responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.